A packed room at the Brehon Hotel buzzed with excitement as the Fórsa Skills Academy unveiled its new mentoring programme during the union’s recent national conference. This new initiative is designed to bolster practical skills and build confidence among activists and workplace representatives. 

With its aims to provide crucial “on the ground” support, complementing the core training programmes offered by the Skills Academy, the programme is based on a simple idea.

“It's just a really simple concept to pair people up together, trying to decipher the world of the trade union, to understand all of the work that we do inside of it and also to provide support,” said Fiona Dunne, Fórsa’s director of training.

Helen Sheridan, Chair of the membership training NEC sub-committee, and one of the proponents of the new programme, emphasised the inter-generational value of mentorship: "The idea of this mentoring programme is to pass on the experience reps have gained. Even as people retire or leave their employment, this programme ensures they stay connected to the union and those who follow in their footsteps."

Fiona Dunne highlighted the accessibility issues faced by new members: “I've worked with students for a long number of years, and one of the first things they say to me about the trade union movement is that it's impenetrable, and this is about trying to make us less impenetrable. It’s about reaching out our hands because they also said that once they come inside, we are fantastic to work with!”

Fiona McGrath, a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) from Dublin, shared her firsthand experience with the programme: "I became a rep for my school last September and was unaware of the mentoring programme initially. During the first day of training in February, I had no clue what to expect. By the end of the training, I knew exactly what I needed to be an effective rep. The programme provided the insight and support I needed."

When asked if she would recommend the programme to other members, Fiona's response was unequivocal: "Absolutely. Getting paired with someone more experienced offers invaluable insights."

The mentoring programme runs from September 2024 to March 2025. Members can register to be either a mentor or a mentee here. To participate in the training workshop at the end of the summer, applications must be submitted by Tuesday, 6th August 2024. For more information, visit the Fórsa Mentoring Programme webpage .

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

On Friday, 31st May 2024, Fórsa’s Skills Academy hosted a well-attended Lunch & Learn session focused on domestic violence awareness. This session, facilitated by Niamh Wilson from Women’s Aid and Fiona Dunne, Fórsa’s director of training, covered key areas including Women's Aid’s crucial role in raising awareness about the prevalence, forms, and impacts of domestic abuse. 

The event is the latest in a long string of actions with roots in multiple motions that were passed at national conference back in 2022, with the aim of improving workplace interventions related to domestic violence.
 
The workshop also looked at the intersection of domestic violence and the workplace, and how to respond to disclosures. A recording of the session is available on Fórsa’s YouTube channel.  

"Supporting women to stay in work is so important. One in ten women who experience domestic abuse will end up losing their job because of domestic abuse. And this is where employees, colleagues, managers, HR people can really make critical interventions to help avoid that terrible outcome for women," outlined Niamh Wilson. 

For more information and support options, members were encouraged to visit Women’s Aid services. Ideas for workplace awareness initiatives can be found here, and general awareness videos in multiple languages are accessible here. These videos feature women from diverse communities in Ireland, sharing signs of domestic violence and how to access help safely.

Tackling domestic violence has been a key focus for Fórsa. At the union's national conference in 2022, eight separate motions on domestic and gender-based violence were presented by various branches. The delegates in the hall demonstrated a keen sense of feeling and determination on the issue. Recognising the importance of domestic violence leave, the National Executive Council (NEC) then prioritised this issue, ensuring it was placed prominently on the industrial agenda across all divisions.

This led to extensive campaigning, a cross-divisional membership survey, and cooperation with Women’s Aid. In 2023, paid domestic violence leave became law through the introduction of the Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill (2023).

Despite initial proposals capping domestic violence leave payments at 70% of salary or €110 per day, interventions by Fórsa and other stakeholders resulted in increasing the payment to the worker’s normal daily rate of pay.

As the new law only provides for five statutory days of domestic violence leave, the union is continuing to campaign until ten days is achieved, a measure supported by Women’s Aid and international research.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Anti-racism trainings, organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), will be available in locations around the country, free, and open to all members of ICTU-affiliated unions, as part of the Anti-racist workplaces and unions project being undertaken by ICTU.

This project seeks not only to combat racism, but to encourage and assist minority ethnic and migrant workers to be represented at all levels of unions and the workplace.

There will be two sessions in the coming weeks, taking place in Sligo and Galway. Fórsa will be providing space in our regional offices for the trainings to take place in.

The trainings are designed for union staff and representatives. They are intended to be participatory, so that participants can learn how to challenge racism when they see it, as well as arm them against the onslaught of misinformation we face daily.

Included in the training will be sections on language, definitions and terminology, current contexts in relation to racism in Ireland, migrants in the Irish workforce – facts versus fiction, racism in Ireland and the Irish Workforce, challenging racist behaviours – what to do/what not to do, and best practice in anti-racism work.

The first session will take place in Sligo on Tuesday June 11th from 11.30am - 3.30pm in our shared offices with SIPTU on Fish Quay.

The second will take place in Galway on Wednesday 3rd July from 11.30am – 3.30pm in our Fórsa Galway office, Unit 23-24 Sean Mulvoy Business Park.

On both occasions lunch will be provided. 

Places will be made available on a first-come-first-served basis. To secure a place, email Dr. David Carroll at David.Carroll@ictu.ie

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa Trade Union members get a special discount on their worldwide annual multi-trip travel insurance from KennCo. This member offer will cover an individual, a couple or a family with travel insurance to protect your holiday.

Our worldwide annual multi-trip cover from €79.53, includes cover for you, your spouse/partner and dependent children, up to and including age 17, or for dependent children in full time education - up to and including age 22.

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•    Cruise cover up to €300
•    Family multi-trip covers dependent children up to 17 years to travel independently of their parent(s). 
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Single trip cover options are also available for unrelated groups, trips up to 180 days etc.

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Union representatives are set to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in relation to the ongoing clerical admin and managerial grades dispute, resulting from the HSE recruitment embargo. The parties previously reached agreement on Tuesday 6th February which clearly set out the requirement on both parties to engage and reach agreement on the finalisation of a framework agreement.  

Following a meeting of workplace representatives on Thursday 25th April Ashley Connolly, head of the health and welfare division, wrote to members acknowledging their frustration at the length of this dispute, the pressures they are facing, and reminding them that they are under no obligation to carry out the role or function of a vacant post.

In her letter Ashley said: “We understand the frustrations stemming from the prolonged recruitment pause. Since late last year, the HSE has repeatedly indicated that the publication of the pay and numbers strategy for 2024 would provide clarity, facilitate local recruitment, and guide decisions regarding post fillings at a local level.”

The letter reminded members that the HSE has accepted that staff are not required to take on the work of a vacant post in the WRC Agreement (6/2/24), which states:

“The HSE accept that staff are required to work their contracted hours only and discharge the functions of a post commensurate with their grading. Adhering to the principle of "one person, one job" the HSE agrees that staff are not required to take on the work of a vacant post(s) in addition to their own work. However, with consultation and agreement priority tasks may be allocated."  

The responsibility falls on the manager to carry out a process of consultation with members and / or union officials in relation to any tasks that may need to be allocated. 

Fórsa spoke out about the impact of the delay of the pay and numbers strategy in early May, stating that the recruitment embargo continues to extend waiting times and place more pressure on staff. 

Following these interventions, the parties will now return to the WRC.  Fórsa remains concerned that the HSE has failed to fulfil the terms as set out in the WRC proposal of 6th February 2024.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Planned industrial action by Fórsa members at St Christopher’s in Longford, which was due to commence on 28th May, was suspended following a conciliation process at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

 
The conciliation took place on Thursday 23rd May, with both parties agreeing to recommend for acceptance a series of proposals designed to resolve the issue in dispute. Fórsa members had balloted in favour of industrial action in April due to the breach of a 2021 collective agreement around the payment of increments.

Fórsa official Tony Martin explained: “The issue in dispute is the breach of a collective agreement around the payment of increments.  

“The employer informed union members, at a meeting in March, that the HSE had requested that the payment of increments be suspended in 2024, until further notice, as the health body was unable to provide the necessary the funding.”

Following the ballot, Fórsa served notice of industrial action in early May. A week before the industrial action was due to commence the parties were invited to attend the WRC conciliation. The proposals will now be put to a ballot of Fórsa members at St Christopher's.

The proposals state that St Christopher’s services has apologised for the delay in payments to staff and the employer has committed to ensuring increments, in future, will be paid as they are due. 

The proposals also include a commitment from St Christopher’s to making “annual increment payments” for the period from 1st January 2024 to 30th April 2025. 

The proposals acknowledge that St Christopher’s can only make changes to pay when it is in receipt of funding from the HSE, while the health body has indicated that it cannot provide additional funding to St Christopher’s services until the National Agreement for Section 39 (community and voluntary health) agencies makes progress at the WRC, a process that is currently underway. 

The proposals also commits both parties to re-engage under the auspices of the WRC in November 2024 on the issue.

Planned industrial action by Fórsa members was subsequently suspended subject to the outcome of a ballot on the WRC proposals.

A ballot of members will commence on Monday 10th June and conclude on Friday 14th June.

A copy of the proposals is available HERE

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Unions will return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on Monday 24 June 2024, following a first engagement at the WRC in mid-May. The unions negotiating on behalf of workers  in the community and voluntary sector are Fórsa, the INMO and SIPTU, working with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

These negotiations are taking place following the interim agreement secured in October 2023, which brought about pay increases for workers in the community and voluntary sector. It also provided for further negotiations to take place with regard to the terms of any successor public sector agreement to Building Momentum. 

With the new Public Service Agreement 2024-2026 ratified in March, unions sought engagement at the WRC to give effect to that provision. 

Fórsa national secretary Ashley Connolly said that the unions' core objective in these negotiations is to get an agreement that would re-align pay rates to those in the public service. She said: “The increases secured in October were very welcome and represented a significant step forward. But workers in the community and voluntary sector provide essential services in communities all across this country and they deserve pay equality.”

She continued: “After a first round of engagement, we expect the management side to make proposals on further pay adjustments when negotiations re-commence.” 

Regarding payment delays that have been experienced in some Section 39 organisations Ashley said:

 
“At our last WRC engagement, we took the opportunity to remind management that the ‘interim agreement’ applied to all Section 39 Organisations and that failure to pay union members may result in industrial action. We remain committed to ensuring our members in Section 39, 10, 40 and 56 agencies are protected and treated with the respect they deserve.” 

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The ongoing housing crisis threatens to undermine Irish economic success and its international reputation, as a generation of workers continue to be locked out of the housing market. 

The concerns of Fórsa members about the impact of the escalating crisis featured prominently in a number of motions at the union’s recent conference in Killarney, dominating the first evening of debate.

A growing number of employers are reporting that prospective employees are declining job offers due to the lack of affordable housing, while accommodation concerns are driving recruitment and retention challenges in both the public and private sectors.

Helen Linehan, from Fórsa’s Cork general clerical branch, said her branch had brought its motion to the conference because so many of her younger work colleagues were still living at home with parents or contemplating emigration because they could not find a home.

Helen said too many members in civil and public services continue to struggle with high rent costs and are forced to live further away from their work in order to find more affordable accommodation: “The current situation cannot continue. Workers cannot afford escalating housing costs, and this poses a genuine threat to our public services,” he said.

She called on delegates to support a motion calling on the union to engage with the Government to find housing solutions, including rent controls, State provision of affordable and subsidised housing or the acquisition of housing for civil and public sector workers.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said housing has overtaken inflation and cost-of-living concerns for working people: “We have an incredibly successful economy, with burgeoning exchequer revenues and full employment. But, beneath the surface of that, the housing crisis is having a corrosive effect. 

“The Irish economic success story is being actively undermined by the ongoing accommodation shortages in all Irish cities, towns and rural areas. 

“A growing number of younger people are locked out of housing and locked out of starting an independent life. These are the young people we need to build and improve public services,” he said.

Recent polling found that 8% of young people in Ireland, aged between 18 and 34, are planning to leave the country, while one-third of the age group say that they are considering it because the situation has become so acute. 

Kevin added: “It’s the reverse of the situation that prompted the 1980s ‘brain drain’ of young people, who left the country because of the lack of employment opportunities. Today, employment is plentiful, but housing pressures are prompting a fresh exodus of talent.

“The country’s international reputation is being badly compromised because current policies on housing simply aren’t working, which means that foreign direct investment is increasingly under threat,” he said.

Fórsa activist Anne Marie Ryan, from the union’s Westmeath branch, called on delegates to support the union’s active engagement with government to advocate for “a meaningful and workable resolution to the housing crisis. We want the union to fight for stricter regulations on landlords, developers and commercial funds to ensure fair and affordable housing options for all workers,” she said.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Answering ICTU’s call to “get the bill done” the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Bill, 2024 has passed the latest vote in the Dáil.

Having now passed all Dáil stages, the legislation will now move on to its second Seanad stage, the committee stage on June 11th.

Prior to Dáil debate on the bill Owen Reidy, General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), described the implementation of an Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill as a matter of urgency.

“Another generation of workers cannot be allowed to have their income and living standards plummet in retirement. Ireland remains the only OECD country not to operate auto-enrolment or similar pensions saving scheme,” he said.

The scheme will see employees aged 23-60, earning over €20,000 a year and not currently contributing to a pension scheme, automatically enrolled in a state-provided pension.

Those in receipt of an automatic enrolment pension will have the ability to opt out after six months but will be re-enrolled every two years.

A state-owned body, the National Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings Authority (NAERSA), is to be set up to administer collections and payments, while pension funds will be managed by private investment firms.

Sean Sherlock TD had sought amendments that would see ICTU guaranteed a board member of NAERSA, but was ultimately unsuccessful. 

Minster Heather Humphreys TD argued that the bill already required there be a board member with knowledge of, or experience with, employees’ interests, and that this post could be filled by an ICTU representative or “someone who would otherwise meet the approval of trade unionists”.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

The local and European elections take place today, Friday 7th June. Polling stations across the country opened at 7am and remain open all day, closing at 10pm. 

Voters will cast their ballots to elect members of local councils and the European Parliament. In Limerick, Ireland’s first ever directly elected mayor will be voted in.

On the morning of the vote Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan urged members to make their voices heard. He said: “We are privileged to live in a democracy where we get to choose who makes decisions at local, national and European level."

"Public representatives serve the people who elect them. As a union we fight for fairness at work and for better public services every day. Voting is another way to make our collective voice heard.”

In the local elections close to 2000 candidates are running in 31 local authorities. In total there are 949 seats to be filled across 166 local electoral areas.

The European elections take place every five years, voters in 27 EU member states elect 720 MEPs to the European Parliament. The European Parliament is the world’s only directly elected transnational assembly. Not all countries vote on the same day, so the elections run from 6-9 June.

In Ireland they take place on the same day as the local elections. Ireland elects 14 MEPs to the European Parliament from three constituencies: Dublin (four seats), Midlands North-West (five seats), and Ireland South (five seats). The Irish Congress of Trade Unions produced a manifesto outlining the European priorities for the trade union movement, you can read it here. 

As part of the More Power to You coalition Fórsa, along with SIPTU, and Connect, published a local election manifesto calling for stronger local government and local services, and more effective local democracy. 

The measures called for include:

• Better funding for local authorities
• Directly elected mayors
• Return of waste collection services to local authorities
• Referendum on public ownership of water
• Local authority led cost rental public housing 
• Increased local authority direct labour for homer energy upgrades and maintenance
• Local authority led community ownership of renewable energy projects

The Electoral Commission website contains useful guides on how Ireland’s PR-STV voting system works, and all the practical details related to the election. You can consult it here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.